Means for design coloring of fabric webs



. n. Flr-mmm MEANS FOR DESIGN coLoRlNG oF FABRIC WEBS Filed Sep. 2, 1953 2 muy y WSS SheetS-Sheel 2 INVENTR.

GL'QRGC P; FEI/V051.

` ATVORIVEVJ Unit George P. Feindel, Rock Hill, S. C., assignor to Rock Hill Printing & Finishing Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 2, 1953, Serial No. 378,028

1 Claim. (Cl. 118-44) This invention relates to the coloring of fabric webs, and more particularly to an apparatus by which unique design coloring effects may be applied to fabric webs and to the manner in which this apparatus is used.

Briefly described, the apparatus of the present invention is characterized by a color applicator roll having an intaglio pattern of spaced design elements formed in the peripheral surface thereofand from which peripheral surface color is transferred to a fabric web exclusive of the intaglio design elements. By this arrangement, when the fabric web is caused to travel continuously over a backing surface moving with the web and the applicator roll is disposed to run against the web in opposed relation to the backing surface, the result is to form a design on the web by the absence of color. That is, color is applied to the web from the peripheral surface of the applicator roll except at the intaglio design elements, so that the form of these design elements appears on the web outlined by the color applied from the applicator roll to produce striking and unusual design effects.

The present invention is described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, in more or less schematic form, of representative apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail illustrating further the form and arrangement of the color applicator roll;

Fig. 3 is an exaggerated partly sectioned detail in side elevation, corresponding to Fig. 1, in which the treatment of the fabric web is illustrated as it passes through the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the exposed face of the fabric web as shown in section leaving the apparatus in Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly at lirst to Fig. 1, the embodiment of the present invention shown for purposes of illustration comprises an embossing press arranged in all respects like the apparatus disclosed in copending application Serial No. 293,820, filed lune 16, 1952, now U. S. Patent No. 2,667,426, except for the form of the color applicator roll 10.

Fig. 1 shows an embossing press in which a supply roll R is arranged for delivery of a fabric web W through tensioning bars as at 12 and between a top steel engraved embossing roll 14 and a bottom composition or lilled impression roll 16, such as are conventionally provided in embossing presses, the embossing and impression rolls 14 and 16 being geared together and driven as disclosed in the above noted copending application, and the embossed fabric web being trained over a portion of the peripheral surface of the impression roll 16 past the color applicator roll before leaving the apparatus, as at W', as directed by a guide roll 18.

The above described embossing press has been selected as a matter of convenience in representing an embodiment of the present invention because the design eifects produced according to this invention appear particularly well States Patent Patented July 3, 195e on embossed fabrics, as is noted further below. However, the primary function of theernbossing roll 114 and impression roll 16 is as means for causing continuous travel of the fabric web W and forpresenting a backing surface moving with the web W in relation to which the applicator roll it) can be disposed.` `For this purpose, the embossing roll 14 and impression roll 16 might be alternatively arranged as disclosedin copending application Serial No. 376,712, liled August 26, 1953, or replaced by a smooth surfaced backing roll and opposed pressure used simply as a pair of draw rolls or as disclosed in copending application Serial No, 376,704, led August 26,1953.

In order to dispose theapplicator roll lll as shown in Fig. l, a mounting bracket 2l) is provided on the embossing press frame structure, and thismounting bracket 20 is litted with pressure adjusting screws 2.2 by which the applicator roll 10 may be` set in proper color applying relation to the impression roll 16. It should also be noted that the applicator roll liti is positively rotated in relation to the speed of the impression roll 1,6 by a suitable driving connection from the embossing press drive such as is disclosed in the 4above noted copending application Serial No. 293,820, filed Iune 16, 1952.

The mounting bracket 2li is further arranged to carry a color pan 24 and a two-high stack of transfer rolls 26 and 23forming transfer means for supplying color continuously to the peripheral surface of the applicator roll lil.

Fig, 2 illustrates further the form and arrangement ot the applicator roll iti by representing in perspective the effect on the fabric web W as it travels between the embossing roll 14 and impression roll 16, and then around the peripheral surface of the impression roll 16 past the applicator roll le to be taken off as the embossed and design colored web W. InFig. 2, and in Fig. 3, too, the form and effect of theintaglio designelernents, as at Eli, is alsoillustrated. t t

The color applicator roll lll employed according to the present invention is of the type having a covering of resili- 1 ent material thereon (e. g., a rubber covering), and the intaglio design elements 3) constitute depressions in the peripheral surface of this covering at which the color supplied by the transfer rolls 26 and ZS fails to transfer, leaving the remaining peripheral surface of the applicator roll it) (exclusive of intaglio design elements 3d) as the active color applying surface so that the form of the design elements 30 appears on the processed fabric web W outlined by the surrounding color applied by applicator roll 1li.

The resulting design effect is indicated in Fig. 4 in which a fragment of the processed fabric web W is shown including the full effect of one of the intaglio design elements lill, the narrow cross lining indicating the raised embossing applied overall to the fabric web W at the nip of the embossing roll 14 andthe impression roll 16, and the darli `portions of this cross lining indicating the surrounding outline of background color applied by the peripheral snr-A face of the applicator roll 1t) at the raised face of the embossed web W. Alternatively, the background color might be inlaid on the embossed web W as disclosed .in copending application Serial No. 376,712 tiled August 26, 1953; or similar design effects might be applied on either t one or both sides of a smooth fabric web in the manner applicator roll arranged in' opposed relation to said backing surface for applying color to said embossed fabric web while supported on said backing surface, said applicator roll being covered with a resilient material and having a smooth peripheral surfaceexcept for intaglio design ele- 5 ments formed by depressions in the peripheral surface of said resilient material, and means for transferring color to the peripheralsurface of said applicator roll exclusive of said intaglio design elements whereby the form of the design elements appears on the fabric web outlined by the 10 surrounding color applied by the applicator roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,774 Adams 1366.26, 1865 15 Horton Dec. 27, 1904 Cooper` July 24, 1928 Werner, et al. Jan. 5, 1932 Mollet July 19, 1932 Wenzelberger Oct. 9, 1945 Muggleton et a1 Apr. 23, 1946 Muggleton July 14, 1953 Davis Jan. 26, 1954r Burke et al. Apr. 6,` 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 10, 1949 

